Iridescent Shades
by Twin Kats
Summary: A collection of oneshots or stories surrounding the characters of Invader Zim. / 1: For the Good of the Empire / "We're not supposed to lie to each other, remember?"


**For the Good of the Empire  
**_Written By Twin Kats_

"You had that look again, earlier."

There words were _cold_ and almost caused the person they were spoken to, to flinch. Hesitant yet _firm_ denials spilled from pale green lips.

"No, no! I wasn't given any look, and just _what_ look is it anyway?"

"You _know_ what look I'm talking about."

Calm, dark, _dangerous_ was the tone of voice and _this_ time the other couldn't restrain the flinch. That tone didn't spell an evening of pleasant things. This time the denials were less firm.

"I-I didn't have any l-look I swear!"

"You're _lying_ to me."

These words were said almost offhand and matter-of-fact. It was as if the speaker had faced this problem a million times _before_, as if it were _normal_ for them to be lied to by the other. A body shuffled back, hands were raised and waved quickly as denials spilled out fast and unrestrained and _panicked_.

"No, no, no! I-I had no l-look I-I would _never_ ha-have a l-look against yo-you I _swear_, I really swear. I-I don't f-find your actions st-stupid or anything I-I mean it! Really e-everything about you i-is _perfect_ I'm t-telling you—"

A loud _smack_ sounded followed by a short _crash_. A grunt of pain and long fingers gently touched a swiftly bruising cheek in shock. Wide eyes turned up, _fearful_, towards the aggressor as lips parted to ask, hesitant.

"P—"

The words were cut off sharply; airways blocked and unable to _breathe_. A burning rose up as the aggressor bent _down_ and hissed, angrily, two long fingers _pinching_ an antenna between them.

"_Don't lie to me_."

The other _howled_ as those pinching fingers _twisted_ the antenna in their grip, eyes widening in pain. The airway was freed up almost directly _before_ the action, allowing the sharp sucking of air and an almost _sobbing_ sound to pass lips.

Sharp, _sharp_ nails dug into the green flesh of the other's cheek and dragged down, drawing blood.

"We're not supposed to lie to each other, remember?" the aggressor crooned, gently, and twisted the antenna further.

"YES, YES!" the other shrieked, hands rising up to try and pull the aggressor _off_ because _gods it hurt so much!_

One finger dug into the wounds one the others cheek as words were whispered, "You know that I have to punish you for lying, right?"

The other winced slightly and tried to pull away but _that_ only hurt his antenna more causing him to cry out. The aggressor pulled his finger out of the wound and calmly licked at the green blood there, lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"Right?"

A whimper. Another twist. A _shriek_.

* * *

The door swished open and then closed although he couldn't quite hear it, not at the moment, laying in a rather bloodied mess. Fingers were bent at odd angles, one of the bones in his arm broken. Smashed by his head were bits of his armor, torn to shreds _again._ His antenna were bent every which way, one almost chewed _off_. Both of his eyes were leaking fluid and his breath was raspy, _weak_.

He was pretty sure one or five of his ribs were sticking into his Squiddly-Spooch, causing internal bleeding. His PAK was sparking, slightly, also damaged and ensuring that healing would take _longer_. From experience he wasn't worried about dying, like this, on the floor in a broken _weak_ mess. It's not like his attacker would ever leave him dead. At least not _now_.

They were best friends, after all. They promised back in the Academy, back when they were Smeets, to always be together. Even when the other attacked, beat, and _hurt_ him like this…he knew he wouldn't kill him. His attacker had restraint.

For now.

Green lids slowly slid down over his damaged eyes as he breathed out, trying hard _not_ to whimper. He tried to focus on something, _anything_, else. He cast his mind back, _far_ back, and he almost smiled when he saw a beautiful, Irken face.

Miyuki.

She was the one who saw how close he and his attacker had been, even then. Somehow she _knew_ they'd be Tallest one day, and back then she had made him promise something. Something _important_.

_Protect the Empire_, she had said. _Everything must be for the __**good**__ of the Empire,_ she told him. _Promise me, _she begged. _**Promise**__ me,_ she pleaded.

"I…promise…" he breathed, echoing the selfsame words way back then that he had said. "For…the good…of the…Empire…it's…for…the Empire…."

Because if Red didn't take the brunt of Purple's _aggression_ then the Empire would.

_Promise me, __**Red**_.

"I…promise…Miyuki…."

* * *

_Yeah…that was random._


End file.
